The present invention relates to an exercise machine, more particularly, a stationary exercise machine which provides vertical, lateral and longitudinal foot path motion to exercise lower body muscles.
Three popular categories of exercise machines known to exercise various muscle groups in the human body include bicycle machines, stair steppers, and skiing machines. These machines have been successful because they offer an effective form of an aerobic, low impact exercise.
Bicycle machines provide resistance to leg motion by causing two foot petals to resistively travel along a circular path, mutually in the same direction, about a coaxial, horizontal axis of rotation, while maintaining the pedals diametrically opposite and with constant lateral distance between them.
Stair steppers provide resistance to leg motion such that work is performed during the unbending (or straightening) of each leg as two pedals or foot platforms are continuously and alternatively stepped upon and released.
Skiing machines offer resistance to leg motion by allowing two foot platforms to alternately travel rearward with resistance and forward with minimal resistance in a linear side by side manner. During use, dependent upon the specific machine design, the two foot platforms may have to be continuously coordinated and synchronized by the user to be out of phase with each other by half of a cycle.